Yoga props for the pelvic floor during pregnancy
Did you know that yoga was originally designed for young boys? Since then, it has been handed down to many teachers and different schools of yoga have been created as they adapted the practice. Attempting to achieve the idealized image of poses or shapes in a yoga practice might keep you from using props, which are very beneficial during pregnancy, postpartum (and beyond).
During pregnancy (and always) it is important to establish balance in your pelvic floor. Meaning you want to engage and relax your pelvic floor muscles evenly. Props like yoga blocks, straps, bolsters, and blankets can both help you do both during pregnancy. Below are a few ways you can try this at home.
Yoga practices for releasing tension in the pelvic floor muscles
Circling low lunge with blocks under hands
How to do it: Come into a low lunge with hands on blocks, legs baby width, back knee on a padded surface or blanket. Begin to circle hips in one direction then in the other.
Why it works: The blocks prevent your lower back from rounding - when your lower back rounds your pelvic floor muscles shorten - and keeps a neutral pelvis. It creates space in your hip joint, which helps release tension in those muscles.
Childs pose with bolster, blocks and blankets
How to do it: place a large bolster (or large pillow) lengthwise on your yoga mat, fold two blankets up and place at the end where your feet will go, opposite of the blanket place yoga blocks on the left and right sides of the bolster. Come into childs post with your sitting bones resting on the blankets, your chest and head on the bolster, your hands on the blocks.
Why it works: This version on the shape creates space in the sacrum and hip joints while providing the opportunity for the body to be held and rest in the spaciousness, which release tension in the pelvic floor.
Legs up the wall with a bolster behind the sacrum (1st & 2nd trimers only)
How to do it: Place a yoga mat perpendicular to a wall, place the long side of a yoga bolster or a big pillow a few inches from the wall, sit on the bolster with the right side body next to the wall, lay the left side body down on the floor and gently lift the legs up the wall. Adjust the lower back to ensure the spine is comfortable. If this is too much on the hamstrings, lift legs onto a chair with bent knees.
Why it works: This helps to lengthen the hamstrings which creates space in the pelvic floor. Having the head above the heart also can calm the mind and reduce tension in the pelvic floor.
Yoga practices for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles
Chair pose with a block between inner thighs
How to do it: Stand with feet parallel and baby width. Place a yoga block between your inner thighs. Hug the block with your inner thighs. Press down through your heels and the big toe, bend your knees and sit your hips back. Bring your palms together at heart center or lift your arms alongside your ears.
Why it works: The block helps to keep a neutral spine and engaging the adductor muscles calls upon the pelvic floor. As the knees bend the sitting bones move away from each other and lengthen the pelvic floor muscles, as the knees straighten the sitting bones move toward each other engaging and lifting the pelvic floor.
Bound Angle Pose with blankets under sitting bones
How to do it: Stack two folded blankets on top of each other. Sit with sitting bones on one edge of the blankets. Bring the souls of the feet to touch with the knees open wide. Hands can rest alongside the body or press into the blankets for added stability. Actively press the heels together in a pulsing pattern.
Why it works: By pressing sitting on the blanket the pelvis comes into a neutral position, which balances the pelvic floor. Pressing the heels together engages the pelvic floor muscles and draws the sitting bones towards each other.
Warrior three using blocks and the wall
How to do it: Set a yoga mat up perpendicular to a wall. Place yoga blocks on their highest height shoulder width apart on the end of the mat opposite of the wall. Measure (estimate) the length of your body from your shoulders to your feet and stand that distance from the wall. Come into warrior three with hands on blocks and one foot pressing - actively pressing - into the wall.
Why it works: The yoga blocks reduce strain on the abdominal muscles and back to prevent muscle tearing while in warrior 3 during pregnancy. Pressing the heel of the foot into the wall engages the buttocks which often gets weak during pregnancy and postpartum, which is related to a weak pelvic floor.
I hope you try these pelvic floor relaxing and strengthening yoga poses for pregnancy and postpartum. Please tell me what you think!
If you want more, join me for yoga virtually or in-person on Sundays at 1:00pm ET.
“The pelvic floor muscles have a whole range of important functions from supporting the pelvic floor organs to stabilizing connecting joints; from assisting in urinary and fecal continence to aiding in sexual performance (think orgasm); from facilitating the birthing process to maintaining optimal intra-abdominal pressure. These important muscles also act as a “sump pump.” Their rhythmical pumping is coordinated with the respiratory diaphragm, helping circulate blood and lymph so they don’t congest in our pelvic region.”
